Daily Dracula X - Stage 4: Atop Countless Terrors (alternate path)

Back at the button, pressing it lowers a staircase from above. This leads to some pretty mean trap-laden passageways that Richter has to traverse with great caution.

I’m a bit of a broken record here, but Maria just blows through this part without even noticing there was anything hard about it.

Scene 1

The first big trap setup here is not as scary as it looks. Jump onto the button, and of course that spiked block on the left will come flying towards you. Hop on top of it as it does so, then wait for the swinging ball to get out of the way to jump over the ledge.

After this it’s a series of swinging ball and chains with enemies attacking you as you pass. Take out enemies before you cross under the ball and chains: I found the bible, which swirls protectively around you, very helpful here. Richter has to pace slowly underneath and pause to crouch so as not to get hit in the head with a spiked ball. (By contrast, Maria can slide underneath all these obstacles.)

Scene 2

Here’s where things get genuinely unkind. Traverse little tiny platforms over a spiked pit while fending off enemies. It’s important to hold your position on the platform and not jump unless you’re absolutely sure you won’t get hit. The spikes won’t kill you instantly, but fall enough times and you might as well be dead.

The key point in this scene is the first big red button. Press this button and you are screwed: Flea Men come pouring from the ceiling and make it extremely difficult to cross the next section. In order to avoid the button, you need to perform a short jump.

From the last floating platform, jump straight up and then, after jumping, hold the right direction. This will result in a shorter jump that lands Richter right before the button. Jump normally over the button and move along to a series of mercifully empty platforms. From here you will fight another bone dragon while avoiding a second red button— I couldn’t figure out what this one was supposed to do.

The switches afterwards also perplexed me, but thankfully someone explained them on GameFAQs 10 years ago. The switches control what kind of money bags come out of the next bone dragon after you beat him. Hit the left one for max cash, which doesn’t really affect you unless you want to watch all the Boss Demo videos. Thanks anyway, GameFAQs. You’re our Library of Alexandria.

After this, a stairway leads up to the latter part of Stage 4. Nope, you didn’t really get anything for this one, just pain.

Tomorrow it’s Stage 4’, which is for now the last of the alternate stages. From there it’s going to be a relatively straight line to the finale and the post-game content, but there’s still a lot of ground to cover. See you on the river, vampire killers!